Due Diligence Before Buying a Plot

We recently undertook a specialist “Diminution in Value” Expert Witness Report for Solicitor clients with regard to a development plot which a client had purchased. This had Planning consent for a detached house on it however it could never be properly developed. The client’s Solicitors (acting in the purchase) failed to carry out full due diligence, omitting to undertake a full water and drainage search. Had they done so, this would have revealed that three large diameter urban water mains pass directly under the site. Thus Thames Water ruled that no development can take place above ground on this site. We typically undertake development plot pre purchase “due diligence and investigation reports” for clients ensuring that all necessary investigations are undertaken and the information pulled together for the client for a single report before they commit to purchase. In this case, relying solely on solicitors standard residential pre purchase procedures, crucial matters were overlooked. We are experienced at Brian Gale Surveyors in development site pre-acquisition due diligence procedures.